Why You Shouldn't Throw Away An Empty Ketchup Bottle Just Yet

In terms of what's "wired" versus "inspired," let's talk recycling versus repurposing. Recycling your empty food packaging is responsible and the right thing to do for the sake of the environment. But actually finding a new, long-term use for that packaging? Now, we're really diverting potential landfill waste; we're also saving money, getting creative, and solving problems. For example, why buy pricey storage containers when you can repurpose glass jars, which can look even more stylish, anyway? One of our latest favorite ideas is to address a very real need with a used ketchup bottle: Create an olive oil squeeze bottle.

Using a ketchup bottle for olive oil is a game-changer because the squeeze function gives you exponentially more control over your oil pours. Depending on the bottle design of the olive oil you prefer, you're dealing with some level of finickiness when you try to tip just the right amount into your pan or drizzle the perfect portion over your salad. These bottles also tend to leak and make a mess in your pantry. A ketchup squeeze bottle, on the other hand, doesn't let any liquid out unless you're applying pressure, so it stays neat. And it allows you to squeeze exactly how much oil you need — and in a streamlined direction rather than a messy glug-like pour. All you have to do is thoroughly clean and dry your empty ketchup bottle, add your oil, and voila: Easier, neater, more efficiently usable olive oil in a snap.

When you go through the trouble of finding the best olive oil for your cooking needs, you'll appreciate having more control over exactly how much you use with this squeeze bottle hack — no wasted EVOO here. That same principle applies to just about anything else you can squeeze in your kitchen. There's every other oil there is, plus various vinegars, for instance. From vegetable oil, sesame oil, and grapeseed oil to apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar, these would all be neater and easier to get controlled pours from with a cleaned-out ketchup bottle.

Ditto that for salad dressings that may have come in glass bottles from which you can never seem to pour the right amount (pro tip: After transferring anything from a glass bottle to a plastic squeeze bottle, repurpose the glass containers). Aiolis, sauces, you name it — they'd all be more effortless to use in a squeeze-y bottle. You can even think about your home bar: If you make your own flavored simple syrups for cocktails, squeeze bottles would give you so much more control than jars when mixing drinks. Then, there's the category of batter. An empty ketchup bottle makes it a breeze to squeeze out the perfect amount of pancake batter, or even muffin or cupcake batter, into baking trays. Whatever you use often, it deserves a squeeze bottle upgrade. Get creative, too, and make new labels for your repurposed ketchup containers.